History: About NAPSA

The National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA) as it is now known started out in the late 1980s. Originally it was called the National Association of Adult Protective Services Administrators (NAAPSA) and its members were APS administrators.

In 1995, NAPSA was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) private, non-profit organization. The goals of NAPSA, then and now, are to advance the field of Adult Protective Services, raise awareness of elder and adult abuse, and advocate on behalf of those victims.

NAPSA’s history is marked by a number of firsts:

Commencing in 1990, NAPSA sponsored the first formal national Adult Protective Services training conference and has been holding annual conferences every year since.

NAPSA was the first voice of APS in Washington, D.C. and remains the only organization to speak for APS nation-wide.

NAPSA initiated the call for federal legislation and funding for APS.

NAPSA helped form the Elder Justice Coalition and worked closely with that group to get the Elder Justice Act passed.

NAPSA created the first formal partnership between academic researchers to APS practitioners to encourage, support, and enhance research on abuse and mistreatment of elders and vulnerable adults.

NAPSA became the home of the first and only National APS Resource Center in 2011.

Because NAPSA is the only organization focused solely on the needs of APS, NAPSA seeks input and feedback on all facets of APS.

APS practice demonstrates that successful intervention in elder and adult mistreatment cases requires collaboration and partnership among various professionals. NAPSA encourages professional partners to join the organization and welcomes all supporters/advocates in the fight for justice for elders and adults with disabilities.

Helping to make a difference in the lives of abuse victims and survivors is the best reason to give to NAPSA. Our supporters have become part of a network whose valuable donations of time and money are vital to our success. We thank them for their gifts and we are privileged to put their compassion into action.